Provincial health officials released a schedule of flu vaccinations Monday to address a number of challenges posed by the emerging H1N1 flu strain.

Starting in October, seasonal flu vaccines will be available to those only 65 years or older or people living in long-term health facilities.

Once the H1N1 vaccine arrives in the first few weeks of November, medical staff will devote resources to distributing the vaccine to an estimated three million British Columbians in a span of four to six weeks.

As the H1N1 vaccine campaign ends in early 2010, seasonal flu vaccines will be available to anyone under 65 according to standard protocol.

"Delivering the vaccine campaign in this fashion allows us to best protect those in British Columbia most at risk from seasonal flu, a group also least at-risk from novel H1N1 virus," said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall. "It also allows us to ensure who needs the H1N1 flu vaccine will be able to receive it soon after it is available."

The elderly seem less susceptible to H1N1 due to exposure to a similar virus prior to 1957.

Doctors have said the number of H1N1 cases would begin to increase this month.

Kendall attributed the delay in delivering the H1N1 vaccine to health officials who earlier this summer decided the domestic supplier of flu vaccines should complete their run of seasonal vaccine, then switch to producing the H1N1 vaccine.

The federal health minister would need to see a change in the severity of impact of H1N1 on a particular population or an increase in serious infections, hospitalizations or complications arising from infection to release the H1N1 vaccine earlier than scheduled.

The projected H1N1 infection rate, based on the influenza's spread in the southern hemisphere, is 11 to 15 per cent of the population for the upcoming season.

The province has ordered 6.2 million total doses of H1N1 vaccine.

Dharm Makwana reports for Vancouver 24 hours.